New Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: COVID-19 Pandemic Financial Impact Greater for Black and Hispanic/Latino Nurses

MEDIA CONTACTS
Zachary Levine
301-628-5071
zachary.levine@ana.org

Keziah Proctor
301-628-5197
keziah.proctor@ana.org

SILVER SPRING, MD—As the COVID-19 pandemic-induced recession continues to weigh on the national economy, Black and Hispanic/Latino nurses reported that they are more likely to have reduced spending or taken on temporary work than their White counterparts. This discovery is from a financial well-being survey of more than 10,000 nurses conducted by the American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, in the Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series.

While more than one-third of all respondents reported delaying a major purchase, findings from the survey show that Black and Hispanic/Latino nurses were more likely to have offset financial challenges by:

Black and Hispanic/Latino nurses were also more likely to be in roles providing direct care to COVID-19 patients than White nurses (58% and 63% vs. 49%), and twice as likely to have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (10% and 11% vs. 5%).

“The glaring disparities between Black, Hispanic/Latino, and White nurses is yet another grim reminder that our most vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s economic and health woes,” said American Nurses Association President Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN. “These findings are troubling and help us understand the true impact of this pandemic across all aspects of nurses’ lives. The fact that so many are now struggling to meet their financial obligations is yet another indicator that we have not done enough to provide nurses the support that they need.”

Other findings show that 14% of nurses have been furloughed or lost their jobs, 27% have had their work hours reduced, and 56% say their financial situation is worse than it was before the pandemic.

Respondents were geographically diverse and represent a variety of work environments; more than half were employed in acute care settings, and three-quarters of the total respondents were in direct patient care roles. Data was collected from July 9 – August 1, 2020.

“These findings show yet another way that the nurses who are critical to the pandemic response and our safety are paying a significant price for their dedication and expertise,” said American Nurses Foundation Executive Director Kate Judge. “The financial hardships, especially for Black and Hispanic/Latino nurses, adds to the burden for nurses who are already say they are feeling emotionally overwhelmed and experiencing feelings of depression responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The next questionnaire in the Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series, available online, explores nurses’  perceptions of innovation and creativity during the pandemic. All data gathered will be used to inform decisions about how to best support nurses during and after this public health crisis. This survey series is made possible through individual and corporate donations made to the American Nurses Foundation Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses, which launched in April 2020.

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About the American Nurses Foundation

The American Nurses Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA), with the mission to transform the nation’s health through the power of nursing. The Foundation supports research, education, and scholarships, which improve health, wellness, and patient care. For more information visit www.nursingworld.org/foundation. TEST TEST